Alcohol

Lord Walton of Detchant: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in view of the rise of alcoholism and alcohol abuse and the increasing evidence of liver disease in young people, they will consider during their review of the published guidance accompanying the Licensing Act 2003 introducing a requirement for the display of appropriate signage in licensed premises, as recently proposed by a consortium of parties.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Licensing Act 2003 and the associated statutory guidance are founded on four key objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children.
	The guidance to licensing authorities is therefore not an appropriate vehicle for the promotion of public health issues and cannot make mandatory provisions about signage in this regard.

Alcohol

Lord Walton of Detchant: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in view of the rise of alcoholism and alcohol abuse and the increasing evidence of liver disease in young people, they will consider during their review of the published guidance accompanying the Licensing Act 2003 discouraging all forms of irresponsible alcohol promotion, and, in particular, all on-sale promotions of beverages with an alcohol content greater than 1 per cent.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The review of the guidance issued to licensing authorities under Section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 will consider the issue of irresponsible drinks promotions and price discounting, across both the on and the off trade.
	We will be consulting on proposals for revised guidance in the summer and any changes will be in place by the end of the year.

Alcohol

Lord Walton of Detchant: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in view of the rise of alcoholism and alcohol abuse and the increasing evidence of liver disease in young people, they will consider during their review of the published guidance accompanying the Licensing Act 2003 enabling local authorities to add a supplement to the licence fee to pay for the health and policy costs incurred in local campaigns designed to reduce the impact of alcohol abuse in their locality.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The review of the guidance issued under Section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 will not consider the issue of adding a supplement to the licence fee in order to fund local authority costs for any campaigns designed to reduce the impact of alcohol abuse. That is because changes to the fees regime could not be effected through amendments to the guidance. Primary legislation would be required to widen the coverage of fees beyond recovering licensing authority costs for administration, enforcement and inspection. The Government have no plans to make such a change.

Armed Forces: Defence Council Instructions

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will draw to the attention of police forces the guidance given in the defence council instructions issued by the Ministry of Defence in April 2003.

Lord Drayson: Defence council instructions are internal Ministry of Defence documents. As briefed to the House of Commons Defence Committee duty of care inquiry, we are currently in the process of renegotiating Home Office Circular 24/2002 which is the co-ordinated policing protocol between Ministry of Defence Police and Home Office Police. The revised protocol will include the Service Police and will incorporate much of the content of DCI GEN 117/2003.

Armed Forces: Helicopters

Lord Tebbit: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the reply by the Lord Drayson on 2 May (Official Report, col. 394), when the eight Chinook helicopters to which he referred were ordered; when they were delivered; when it became clear that they were not able to be used; what plans they have to bring them into use; and what proportion of the Royal Air Force heavy lift helicopter capacity they represent.

Lord Drayson: The Chinook Mk3 procurement was first agreed and contracted for in 1995 and delivery was completed in January 2002. By May 2002 it had become clear that they could not be brought into use. The Ministry of Defence is currently considering options for the future of the aircraft. These eight Chinook would be in addition to the 40 currently in service that provide the Royal Air Force heavy-lift helicopter capacity.

Armed Forces: RAF Logistics

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What arrangements will be made to link Royal Air Force reservists into the Air Expeditionary Wings and the logistics and communications hubs.

Lord Drayson: Royal Air Force reservists play a fully integrated role in all RAF activities, and will thus augment the Expeditionary Air Wings and air combat service support units' logistics and communication hubs as required.

Armed Forces: RAF Logistics

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	To what extent personnel from the Royal Air Force's logistics and communications hubs will be posted overseas on expeditionary deployments; and what the arrangements will be for their rotation.

Lord Drayson: All Royal Air Force personnel are liable to be deployed overseas to support expeditionary operations, usually attached to an Expeditionary Air Wing. The length of deployments will vary according to operational circumstances but will generally be around four months; the roulement of personnel will differ slightly for each ACSSU, but the overall Royal Air Force target is that personnel should be on operations for no more than four months in every 20.

Benefits: Disability Premium

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the disability premium is to be abolished from 2008 for claimants of (a) income support payable to lone parents and carers; (b) jobseeker's allowance; (b) housing benefit; and (d) council tax benefit.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Our Green Paper A New Deal for Welfare: Empowering people to work proposed that the new employment and support allowance should not include the basic disability premium, but would provide additional help through a support component and employment support component. We need to consider the implications of this change for disabled people who may claim jobseeker's allowance, income support, housing benefit or council tax benefit after the introduction of employment and support allowance. We would consult if any further changes were proposed.

Benefits: Under-25s

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether young people under the age of 25 will receive a lower basic rate of the proposed employment and support allowance similar to jobseeker's allowance and income support rates.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: In the welfare reform Green Paper A New Deal for Welfare; Empowering people to work, the Government set out their proposals to pay employment and support allowance during the initial three-month assessment phase at "jobseeker's allowance basic rates".
	The consultation period ended on 21 April and we are now preparing a report which will summarise the representations received and their impact on the proposals we intend to take forward.

Bus Lanes

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When consultation was started and completed on the civil enforcement of bus lane contraventions outside London under the Transport Act 2000.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The department wrote to consultees on 10 July 2002 seeking comments by 6 September 2002 on the draft regulations concerning the arrangements for imposing civil penalty charges for bus lane contraventions, the handling of representations, the procedure for adjudication and the procedure for enforcement when a penalty charge is not paid. A summary of the comments received was published on the DfT web site on 15 November 2004.

Council Tax

Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many pensioners were subject to legal proceedings during 2003–04 and 2004–05 for failure to pay their council tax.

Baroness Andrews: The Government do not collect information on the number or breakdown of taxpayers against whom billing authorities apply to the magistrates' courts for the grant of a liability order to enable enforcement action for non-payment of council tax to take place.
	Courts only have powers to imprison people who refuse to pay their council tax rather than those who cannot pay.

Council Tax: Replacement

Baroness Hanham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, as recently reported, the council tax system is to be replaced by an annual levy of 0.78 per cent. of the value of a property; and
	Whether, if a levy is introduced to replace the council tax system, they intend to promote an equalisation scheme.

Baroness Andrews: The Government have no plans to replace the existing council tax system in England with a system of domestic property taxation based on a percentage of the value of the dwelling.
	The final report of Sir Michael Lyons' independent inquiry into the funding of local government in England, in the context of its wider roles and functions, is due to be submitted to Ministers by the end of this year. The Government will consider what, if any, changes should be made to the existing council tax system in England in the light of this report.

Cyprus: Mine Clearance

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will ask the Government of Turkey to co-operate with planned mine clearance in Cyprus, particularly along the green line and buffer zone.

Lord Triesman: As the UN Secretary-General reports, continuing mine clearing activity in the buffer zone is progressing and the relevant Turkish authorities are co-operating with the UN. To date, 20 minefields have been cleared, a total 2,318 mines have been lifted and 1 million square metres of land released. This includes almost all the minefields in and around Nicosia. The EU provides financial support for mine clearance work in the buffer zone.

Drugs: Treatment Budget

Lord Adebowale: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What will be the total allocation for the pooled drug treatment budget in (a) 2006–07, and (b) 2007–08.

Lord Warner: An announcement on 2006–07 funding will be made in the near future. No decisions have yet been taken on funding for 2007–08.

Drugs: Treatment Budget

Lord Adebowale: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What estimate they have made of the total amount of mainstream local expenditure spent on drug treatment services on top of the pooled treatment budget in (a) 2003–04; (b) 2004–05; and (c) 2005–06; and what the total amount is projected to be in (i) 2006–07, and (ii) 2007–08.

Lord Warner: The estimated amount of mainstream local expenditure for past and future years requested is as follows.
	
		
			 Year £ Million (estimate)* 
			 2003–04 200 
			 2004–05 204 
			 2005–06 208 
			 2006–07 212 
			 2007–08 216 
		
	
	* these data have been sourced from the National Treatment Agency

EU: Enlargement

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they next plan to discuss with other European Union member states renewed resistance to further enlargement of the European Union.

Lord Triesman: We expect enlargement to be one of the subjects discussed at an informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Austria on 27 and 28 May. Enlargement is also on the agenda of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Committee on 13 and 14 June and the European Council on 15 and 16 June.

EU: Qualified Majority Voting

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 4 July 2003 (WA 141–42), under the Treaty of Maastricht, what areas of education, public health and culture (with unanimity) were made subject to qualified majority voting or the co-decision procedure.

Lord Triesman: In the Treaty of Maastricht, the following areas of education, public health and culture were made subject to the co-decision procedure. All areas listed are subject to qualified majority voting unless otherwise stated. Reference is made to the current article numbers in the treaty establishing the European Communities (TEC) with the article numbers prior to the treaty of Amsterdam in parentheses.
	Education (Article 149 TEC (ex Article 126))
	Developing the European dimension in education, particularly through the teaching and dissemination of the languages of the member states;
	encouraging mobility of students and teachers, inter alia by encouraging the academic recognition of diplomas and periods of study;
	promoting co-operation between educational establishments;
	developing exchanges of information and experience on issues common to the education systems of member states;
	encouraging the development of youth exchanges and of exchanges of socio-educational instructors; and
	encouraging the development of distance education.
	In addition, Article 150 TEC (ex Article 127) provides for a vocational training policy, with community action aimed to:
	facilitate adaptation to industrial changes, in particular through vocational training and retraining;
	improve initial and continuing vocational training in order to facilitate vocational integration and reintegration of the labour market;
	facilitate access to vocational training and encourage mobility of instructors and trainees and particularly young people;
	stimulate co-operation on training between educational or training establishments and firms; and
	develop exchanges of information and experience on issues common to the training systems of the member states.
	Culture (Article 151 TEC (ex Article 128)— all areas subject to unanimity)
	Improvement of the knowledge and dissemination of the culture and history of the European peoples;
	conservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage of European significance; non-commercial cultural exchanges; and
	artistic and literary creation, including in the audiovisual sector.
	Public Health (Article 152 TEC (ex Article 129))
	Improving public health;
	preventing human illness and diseases; and
	obviating sources of danger to human health.
	Article 152 of the TEC as set out in the Treaty of Maastricht stated that the above actions,
	"shall be directed towards the prevention of diseases, in particular the major health scourges, including drug dependence, by promoting research into their causes and their transmission, as well as health information and education . . . Health protection requirements shall form a constituent part of the Community's other policies".
	This article has been revised and reordered by subsequent treaty amendments.

Housing: Building Regulations

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which suppliers of SAP2005 software for checking compliance of dwellings to part L 2006 of the building regulations have had their programmes approved by the Building Research Establishment and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; and on what dates.

Baroness Andrews: Building Research Establishment (BRE)/Office of the Deputy Prime Minsiter (ODPM) have approved the following software implementations of SAP 2005:
	Survey Design Associates Ltd, 3 April 2006
	BuildDesk Ltd, 21 April 2006

Housing: Building Regulations

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What performance levels have been set in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's code for sustainable homes for level 1 (the entry level) and level 3 (the required level for publicly funded dwellings) in terms of percentage improvements over part l 2006 of the building regulations.

Baroness Andrews: The Government announced on 9 March 2006 that the lowest levels of the code will be raised above the level of the mandatory requirements of the building regulations.
	Performance levels for levels 1 and 3 of the code have not yet been set. Work is continuing on investigating what these performance levels should be.

Housing: Building Regulations

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the estimated extra costs of dwellings to meet the energy element of level 1 and level 3 of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's code for sustainable homes; and on what basis the designs were developed and compliance checked.

Baroness Andrews: The consultation document on the code for sustainable homes, published on 5 December 2005, included a partial regulatory impact assessment which included an estimate of the costs of meeting level 1 of the code. It did not include an estimate of the costs of meeting level 3 of the code. The estimated cost per dwelling of meeting the energy element of level 1 of the proposed code was zero.
	In the light of the announcement made by the Government on 9 March 2006 on proposals to strengthen the code, these costs will be recalculated as part of a final regulatory impact assessment. Work on these cost benefit calculations are continuing.

NHS: Controlled Drugs

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Who is responsible for the destruction and return of controlled drugs remaining in the home after the death of the patient to whom they have been prescribed.

Lord Warner: There is no formal responsibility for the destruction and return of controlled drugs remaining in the home after the death of a patient for whom they have been prescribed. Patients and carers are encouraged to return any unwanted medicines to a community pharmacy or dispensing practice for safe disposal.
	Ensuring safe recovery and disposal in the community is closely linked to ensuring better audit of controlled drugs in the community, as set out in Safer Management of Controlled Drugs: The Government's response to the fourth report of the Shipman inquiry. To improve audit, the Department of Health is currently piloting patient drug record cards for Schedule 2 controlled drugs in the community. Following the results of this pilot, the Government will consider extending the scheme, and they plan to issue guidance on recovery and disposal in the community.

Nigeria: Human Rights

Lord Alderdice: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have made to the Government of Nigeria about the proposed legislation entitled Act to Make Provisions for the Prohibition of Relationship Between Persons of the Same Sex, Celebration of Marriage by Them, and for Other Matters Connected Therewith; and
	Whether they have made representations to the Government of Nigeria that the proposed Act to Make Provisions for the Prohibition of Relationship Between Persons of the Same Sex, Celebration of Marriage by Them, and for Other Matters Connected Therewith undermines international treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Nigeria acceded without reservations in 1993.

Lord Triesman: We are concerned that the proposed Act will cut across many of Nigeria's international human rights obligations by continuing to criminalise the homosexual community in Nigeria. We are also concerned that the Bill will criminalise non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and human rights defenders who may work on behalf of the homosexual community.
	We and EU partners have discussed the issue with Nigerian NGOs campaigning against the proposed Bill. All parties were concerned that the Bill would be incompatible with Nigeria's obligations under international human rights treaties. We intend to raise these concerns with the Nigerian authorities at the most appropriate opportunity.

Nigeria: Human Rights

Lord Alderdice: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have made to the Government of Nigeria to ensure that the safety and protection of all human rights defenders are guaranteed in Nigeria irrespective of their sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or religion.

Lord Triesman: We fund projects in Nigeria to improve adherence to international human rights standards. Our High Commission in Abuja also regularly raises human rights issues with the Nigerian authorities, including the fact that all of Nigeria's human rights organisations and defenders are able to operate freely and without intimidation.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 29 March (WA 126), on how many occasions since 1997, and in respect of which specific recommendations, English Partnerships has refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Baroness Andrews: There have been no occasions since 1997 when English Partnerships has refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 29 March (WA 126), on how many occasions since 1997, and in respect of which specific recommendations, the Arts Council of England has refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Lord Davies of Oldham: There have been no occasions since 1997 where the Arts Council of England has refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 29 March (WA 126), on how many occasions since 1997, and in respect of which specific recommendations, the Civil Aviation Authority has refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The CAA came under the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Ombudsman in 1999. Since then, five complaints have been made to the ombudsman about the CAA. None was considered to be justified. However, in one case the ombudsman recommended that a goodwill payment of £50 be made to the complainant. The CAA made the payment forthwith.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Warner on 3 May (WA 86), whether the Department of Health will in future hold information about the department's compliance with the Parliamentary Ombudsman's recommendations in a way which permits public access to that information.

Lord Warner: We are putting in place arrangements to ensure that information about action taken on any recommendations for the Department of Health will be publicly available through the Freedom of Information Act on a case-by-case basis.

Peace Protesters

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether peace protesters can be charged under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Sections 128 to 131 of the Act created a new offence of criminal trespass on designated sites. If a peace protester trespassed on a designated site they could be liable to be prosecuted.

People Trafficking: Children

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they will co-ordinate the activities and responsibilities of the Home Office, the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Health as regards the identification and subsequent care of trafficked children and young people; who is the lead individual or agency; and how they will establish accountability.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Home Office leads the Government's work to combat human trafficking and chairs a cross-government ministerial group which co-ordinates action. Issues relating to the identification and care of trafficked children and young people form an important strand within that programme of work.

Police: Reorganisation

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representation, written or otherwise, the Home Office or Secretary of State for the Home Department received from the Welsh First Minister regarding their plans for police force restructuring in Wales; and whether they will place a copy of any such correspondence in the Library of the House.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The former Home Secretary and Police Minister were in close contact with the Welsh First Minister and Minister for Social Justice and Regeneration regarding the plans for police force restructuring in Wales, and their successors will continue this close working relationship. In accordance with the exemption in Section 28 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, correspondence will not be placed in the Library of the House.

Police: Reorganisation

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the representations made by each of the police authorities in Wales regarding the police force mergers were for or against those mergers.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The four Welsh police authorities submitted business cases in December, but at that point were unable to indicate a preferred option.

Prisoners: Foreign Nationals

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many foreign former prisoners released under licence into the community since 1999, who are still resident in the United Kingdom, are in receipt of social security benefits; and how much has been paid to them since their release from prison.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The information is not available; the department does not keep data that would allow us to identify claimants by nationality or whether they had previously been in prison.

Prisons: Open and Semi-open

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 18 April (WA 167), what proportion of women prisoners are held in (a) open prisons, and (b) semi-open prisons; and what are the corresponding proportions for male prisoners.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Information on the number and proportion of female and male prisoners held in open and semi-open conditions in given in the table.
	
		Population in prison establishments by type of establishment -- and gender
		
			 28 February 2006 
			  Males   Females 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Open prisons 4,137 6 208 5 
			 Semi-open prisons 
			  513 1 552 13 
			 Other 
			 establishments1,2 67,651 94 3,656 83 
			 Total2 72,301 100 4,416 100 
		
	
	1 Includes those held in the removal centres of Dover, Haslar and Lindholme.
	2 Includes remand, sentenced and non-criminal prisoners.

Prisons: Records

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 2 May (WA 58), whether the inmate core files of persons serving custodial sentences which are retained by the prison from which a prisoner is released are automatically transferred to the prison to which an offender is assigned on a subsequent conviction.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: No, the receiving prison is required to request any known previous records from the last discharging prison.

Race Equality Group

Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What initiatives are being taken to attract support from the ethnic minority communities for the proposed Commission for Equality and Human Rights.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: An advisory panel, called the Race Equality Group, is being set up by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The panel will be consulted about race equality priorities for the new commission, and related matters. This supplements the work of the steering group on the new commission, which consists of key stakeholders in the subjects for which the new commission will be responsible, including a representative of the Commission for Racial Equality.

Race Equality Group

Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made in setting up the Race Equality Group to consider ethnic minority views and perspectives on the Discrimination Law Review and concerns about the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: It is hoped to hold a first meeting of the Race Equality Group on 23 May.

Roads: Utility Works

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect to bring forward secondary legislation under the Traffic Management Act 2004, including the Code of Practice on Noticing of Works and the permit regulations; and what are the causes of the delay in bringing forward this legislation.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The department is working to ensure that the regulations are produced as soon as possible. A revised timetable has been issued and the regulation and associated Code of Practice for Noticing of Works will be laid early in 2007, while the regulation for permits will be laid in mid-2007. The regulations are complex and this has taken longer than originally anticipated. It is important to ensure that these regulations and associated codes of practice are workable.

Sudan: Proscribed Individuals

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they are taking to freeze the assets of, and deny access to the United Kingdom to, those Sudanese individuals proscribed by the United Nations Security Council on 25 April.

Lord Triesman: In order to give effect to UN Security Council Resolution 1672 (2006) within the United Kingdom we are taking steps to update our legislation to reflect this new resolution. The Bank of England, acting as HM Treasury's agent for administering financial sanctions in the United Kingdom, has already publicised the United Nations' adoption of Security Council Resolution 1672 (2006). Until the UN travel ban is designated under UK legislation, it is given effect using administrative powers in the Immigration Rules to deny entry to the UK. The details of those subject to the restrictive travel measures have already been added to the appropriate UK databases, which will alert immigration officials in the UK and overseas should they seek entry to the UK.

Transport: Speed Governors

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any plans to require all private vehicles to have speed governors fitted.

Lord Davies of Oldham: There are no plans to require all private vehicles to have speed limiters fitted.

Travellers: Residential Sites

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the Department for Communities and Local Government is excluding from its consultation on model standards for park homes and other caravan sites, residential sites for Gypsies, Travellers and agricultural workers.

Baroness Andrews: Local authority Gypsy and Traveller sites are exempt from the requirement for a licence under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, under which these model standards are issued, although authorities must have regard to these standards in providing such sites.
	My department will be preparing separate site design guidance for Gypsy and Traveller sites, which will have regard to the model standards but also reflect any different characteristics these sites may involve.
	Caravan sites for seasonal agricultural workers are exempted from the requirement for a site licence. As such, site licence conditions, and therefore the model standards, are not applicable.
	The consultation on the model standards for park homes closed on 13 April.

Universities: European Studies

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Adonis on 18 April (WA 222), whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office contributes funding to the postgraduate certificate in contemporary European studies at Birmingham University, or any other similar courses in the university system; and, if so, what is the extent of such funding.

Lord Triesman: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) funds the postgraduate certificate in contemporary European studies at the University of Birmingham. Our funding commitments are £250,000 in the financial year 2005–06 and will be scaled down to £150,000 in the financial year 2006–07 and £100,000 in the financial year 2007–08. Complete withdrawal of funds will be thereafter.
	Separately, the FCO funds, through the broader programme of Chevening fellowships, a 12-week course for 12 students on European political economy at the University of Sussex. The direct cost for this course in 2006 was £166,000.